Transmission mechanism.



E. U. AMES.

TRANSMISSIDN MECHANISM. Arrucmon msu senza. |914.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEETL E, U. AMES.v

-TRANSMISSION MECHANISM. y APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23. I9I4.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

E. U.-AMES. TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

APPLlcAloN FILED $591.23. 1914..'

- l l 5 l ,43 l 4 Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

3 SHEETSj-SHEET 3.

M r @hg Aww@ .uNiTn-D situarse-PATENT. @FfmCET.1

ELMEnU. AMEsjor PHILADELrHm, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNon 'ro-H. BniN'roN coureur, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNsSYLvANm, A coaroimrron or :PENNSYL- VANIA.

TRANSMISSION MEHANIM.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, ELMER U. Armsta citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Transmission 4Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mechanism particularly designed for use in connection with knitting machines vand, is

especially serviceable in circular ma-v chines in which the needle cylinder, or, in some types of machines, the needle camring, requires a continuous` circular move-.

ment, such for example asv is required in knitting the tubular leg portion of a stocking, and is given a Ireciprocating motion such as is nec heel. l A

In knitting machines ofthe above men-y tioned types it is-diilicult to gain access to those parts of the mechanism which effect the above noted circular -and'reciprocating movements since' said parts .are on the'inside of t'he frame, and heretofore f"a part of said mechanism became 'Worn or broken or failedfto work properly, it was necessary to remove various other parts, oneat a time,

until the desired part was reached. This required considerable time and often'resultedin a disturbance of the adjustments of certain of the-parts besides frequently necessitating the removal of the entire ma- Y chine.

s) One of the objects of my invention'therefore is to so construct a knitting machine .of the above described type that those of its elementswhich effect the loperation of the needle-controlling mechanism may be removed from the machine proper in such manner as to permit of ther easy removal and replacement of any of the separate elements; the arrangement and design being such that the driving 'means for the needle controlling mechanism shall be durable and of simple construction. These objects and other advantageous ends I attain as herein-l after set forth, 'reference being had to the accompanying. drawingin which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my inveii-v tion; vlTi'g.,`2 isa section taken onthe'line a--a,` Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a section on the line Zie-Jn, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a perspective yiew of ra modifiedv form of one of the parts of my invention.; 'A f yssary for'knitting 'the toe or A Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 24, 19215.. Application mea' september 2s, 191e. sei-iai im. 863,186.

.a shaft 2'on which is Vfixed a gear wheel 3 operable to actuate a needle cylinderv or needle cam ring of any type ofknitting Ina-` chine head, one of whose parts must at certain times receive a continuous circulary movement while at other times it requires a reciprocating movement. The shaft 2 and Agear wheel 3 are therefore so driven as to' alternately receive a continuous rotary and a reciprocating movement in a manner hereinafter described.

The frame 1 has` an aperture 4 in one of its sides and in the opposite side alsohas a .journal-boxer'bearing 5, for one lend ofv a shaft 6.l A cover plate 7 is detachably secured to the frame 1 by bolts 8 so as to eX- -tend over 'the aperture 4 and has a journal box o r bearing 9 for-the opposite end of the shaft 6, together with a sleeve portion 10 designed to rotatably receive vwithin it the hub 1 1 of a' pulley 12. The outside'surface of said sleeve forms a bearing for a loose pulley 13,while the inside of said hub 11 forms a bearing for a rotatable shaft 14 having a pulley 15 securedto one end and a geair wheel 16 keyed to it adjacent its other en y .The gear 16 meshes with a gear wheel 17 which is freely `rotatable on the shaft 6 and has a clutch face 18 designed to interlock `with theface 19 of a clutch collar-2O slidably keyed to said. shaft 6. A gear wheel 21 is fixed to the gear 1-7 and meshes with a gear Wheel 22 formed on the inner end of "the pulley hub 11. The end 23 of the clutch collar 20,is shaped to engage a clutch extension 24 on a gear wheel 25 which isfreely rotatableon the shaft 6 and said gear meshes with the Vteeth 26a of a segment 26 whose lower end has a bearing 261 directly below -itstoothed portion, being mounted to oscillate on a shaft 27 supported in the frame 1.

A stud shaft 28 'is `rigidly secured to the cover plate 7 by means of a nut 2,9 and forms a support for a freely rotatable sleeve 3 0 having a crank 31, having an eccentric outline for'driving apparatus forming no part of the present invention, there being a gear wheel32 keyed on said sleeve 30 and meshing with the gear 16. The crank 31 has a crank pin 33 secured thereto by a nut 34 and extending through a slot 35 in the segment 26 so as to form a pivotal support for the end bearing 36a of a connecting 'rod 36. The other end of said rod forms a pivotal bearing for a pin 37a connected to a proJecting arm 37 on said segment 26 (Figs. 1 and 3).

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the member 31 is shown .in th'e form of an eccentric having a strap 55 for actuating pattern mechanism or any other` movable part of the knitting machine proper. 1t will be understood, however, that this member 31 maybe replaced in some instances by an ordinary crank arm 31a having a crank pin 33 secured v thereto as shown in Fig. 4. If'this latter though if either of them is moved .into en-l gagement-with its respective shifting cam v construction is adopted the motion of the pattern means heretofore mentioned may be obtained from another source if this is desirable.

\ vAs a means for shifting the clutch sleeve or collar 20, I may provide two collars 38 and 39 adjustably secured to the sleeve 30 -by means of set screws 38a and having cams 40 and 41 whose inner actuatingvsurfaces extend toward each other (see Figs. 2f-and' 3). A double arm `lever 42` is pivotally mounted on a projection 43 on the cover plate 7 and has its upper arm in engage ment with a groove 44 of the clutch `collar 20 while its lower arm 45 forms a housing for two pins 46 and 47. These pins are normally held out of the lpath of the cams 40 and 41 by means of springs 48 and 49, al-

during rotation thereof the lever will be pushed toene side orthe other and will be rocked on its pivot, thereby causing a` sliding movement of the clutch collar 20.

Therefore if the pins 46- and 47 are alternately moved into and .ut of engagementy with the shifting cams 41 and 42, the clutch collar 20 will receive a sliding movement al- "ternately in opposite directions along the shaft 6, and will alternately engage the clutch extension 24 on the gear'25 and the clutch portion 18 on the gear 17. 'The pins 46 and 47 are actuated by levers 50 and 51, which, iii the present instance, are pivotally mounted on a rod 52 on the frame 1 and each `has an arm 53 projecting rearwardlyso as to beactuated by any form of pattern means (not shown) which may be driven by the strap 55 of the feccentric. 31 and timed to alternately move said pins. It will be understoodl however that any other suitable Assuming that the pin 47 has been moved by the lever 51 into engagement with ythe shifting cam 41 and that the latter has actuated the double arm lever 45v to move the clutch collar`20 into engagement with the clutch face 18 (see Figs. 2 and 3), a suitable belt (not shown) serves to drive the pulley 15, shaft 14, and gears 16 and 17, and since the face 19 of the clutch collar 20 is in engagement with the clutch face 18 of the gear 17 said collar willl be rotated. A continuous rotary movement is thus imparted to the shaft 6, gears 56 and 58 and eventually through the shaft 2 to the gear 3 which serves to actuate the needle controlling mechanism.

Whenan alteration in the character of thel fabric being produced is required, such for example asl a change from the,roundand round vknitting of the leg of a stocking, to thatnecessary to produceva heel, thermovement ofthe gear 3 is necessarily changed from a continuous rotary movement to a reciprocating movement. The pattern means is therefore so timed as tote'ect the shifting ofthe belt from the pulley 15 onto the pulley 12 and alsoto'move the lever 50 so as to cause movement of the pin 46 into engagement witlithe cam 40 with a resulting movement `of the lever 45. This movement of said latter lever actuates the clutch collar and brings the clutch face 23 into engagement with the clutch extension 24 on the 'gear 25. Motion Will then -be transmitted from the pulley 12' to the gears 22, 21, 17, 16 and 532, crank 31, and .connecting rod 36 'to the arm 37 on the segment 26 and since said connecting rod is moved by means of the crank pin 33, itwill receive a reciprocating movement which it in turn imparts to said segment 26. Hence the gear 25 which is in mesh with the teethon said segment Will receive a reciprocating movement which is transmitted to the clutch collar 20, shaft 6 land gears 56 and 58, thus causing reciproca- I tion of the gear 3 and of the needle actuating mechanism driven thereby. The driving mechanism above described Will ythus impart to the gear 3 either a continuous circular movement or a reciprocating movement.

It will be noted that lthe clutch mechanism and the means for adjusting the same may be removed as a unit from the machine -merely by Iremoving the bolts 8 and the pin 57 which secures the gear 56 to the shaft 6. -The end of the crank pin 33 which entends into the connecting rod 36 is not secured thereto in any manner and may be, freely removed when the cover plate 7 is v taken DE so that all the mechanism with the exception of the segment 26 may be quickly and easily withdrawn as a whole -through the aperture 4 in the frame 1. This feakture forms a very important part of the present vinvention since it enables a Worki any of the 1several parts of the drlvmg a man to easily and `quickly repairA or replace mechanism above described.

lAnother valuable feature of the invention resides in the improved arrangement and'construction of the driving element-s for the toothed segment whereby any 'undesirable twisting or unbalanced stress is avoided, for it will be noted that the toothed edgel 26, vthebearing 26b and the bearings 36a andI 37 of the connecting rod 36 are all in or immediately adjacent the lane ofv movement of the segment 2 6 (see ig. 3) so that the line ,of action of the forceV which moves the latter Will lie in said plane. Moreover the crank 31 is positioned on one side of the segment 26 While the connecting rod 36 is positioned on the opposite side thereof with the result that the stresses on said crank are in a great measure balanced and an even movement is imparted to said segment. :L

While l have-described my invention as applicable to knitting machinesA itdwill vbe understood that Without` departing from: my invention it may be used in connection with any other type of mechanism requiring a continuous rotary movement at one time and a reciprocating movement atrr another time.

l claim 1. vThe combination of a frame having an apertlure; a plate covering th'e aperture and detachably-securedto said frame; an

oscillatory segment on the frame; with mechanism supported by s aid plate including an element detachab-ly connected tothe segment, said mechanism being removable as aunit With .the plate from the frame.

2. The combination of a" supporting frame; actuating means; a member detachably secured to the frame; with operating mechanism vfor thel actuating means supported by said memberand removable therewith as a unit, from saidframe, the actuating means and operating mechanism including a crank pin and a crank separable to permit the removal of said unit.

3. rlhe combination ofa supportingframe having anA aperture; actuating means; a member detachably secured to the frame; with operating mechanism including -reciprocating driving mechanism for the actuating means supported by said memberand removable, as a unit, from the frame through said aperture.'

r `u 4. The combination of a supporting frame having an aperture; actuating means;

a cover plate for the aperture detachably secured to the frame; with operating mech-j anism for the actuating-means including rotary and reciprocating' driving mechanism. supported by 's id plata-and removable, as

a unit, from te frame through'the aper-` a member detachabl;r

' tion mounted in said member; clutch mechanismon said shaft; a stud shaft on'sa-id member; means on said latter shaft for'operating said clutch mechanism; and driving means for the clutch vshaft mounted on said member, said member With the clutch shaft, and said mechanisms being removable, as a unit, from the frame.

7. The combination-of a supporting frame having an laperture; actuating means, a cover' plate secured to the frame; a clutch shaft having one portion mounted in said frame and another portion mounted in saidk cover plate; clutch mechanism on said shaft;

ya stud shafton said plate; means on said latter shaft for operating thefclutchmechamsm;- With driving means forsaid clutch shaft mounted on said plate, said plate being detachabley from the framel and the clutch shaft, and said mechanisms being removable through said aperture. A

8. The combination of a supporting frame f having an aperture; vactuating means; a member detachablyconnected to the frame; a clutch shaft having one portion supported in said .frame and another portion mounted in said member; means operatively connecting said shaft and said'actuating mea s; a clutch collar slidably keyed on .saidv s aft; two gear Wheels freely rotatable on said shaft and each having a clutch face designed to be engaged by vsaid'clutch collar; a third gear wheel secured to one of said gear wheels; a stud shaft `for saidl member; a lever mounted on the member and operatively connected to said clutch.. collar;I a

sleeve rotatably mounted on said stud shaft; `a gear andcams for operating' said lever,` mounted/on said sleeve; an actuating device in engagement with one `of said'rst mentioned gear Wheels; 'mechanism operatively connecting said sleeve with said device; and means mounted` on said member for driving the gear -on-said stud shaft, the other of said irstmentioned gear gear wheel. l 9. The combinationof aframe having an vaperture therein; actuating means; a plate covering .said aperture; a clutch Eshaft having one portion mounted on said frame'and another portion supported `by said plate;

Wheels and said third -mechanism operatively connecting said ac M tuating means with said clutch shaft; a stud shaft supported on said plate; clutch mechanism on said clutch shaft; means for actuating the clutch mechanism and'driving mechanism supported by said plate for operating said latter operating mechanism and' the clutch mechanism.

10. The combination of a supporting frame having an aperture; actuating means; al member detachably connected tothe frame;` a clutch shaft having one portion supported in s aid frame and another portion v "mounted 1n said member; means operatlvely connecting said shaft and said actuating means; a clutchcollar slidably keyed on said' shaft; tWo gear wheels freely rotatable on sadshaft and each having a clutch face de-v signed to be engaged by said clutch collar; a third gear Wheel secured to one of saidsaid lever;- mechanism mounted on said' member for driving the Jgear on said stud shaft; the other of said first mentioned gear' `Wheels and said third gear wheel; a segment having teeth in engagement with one of said first mentioned gear Wheels;and means connected to said ysleeve for imparting a re ciprocating movement to said segment.

11. The .combination of` a supporting frame; a plate; a gear; a support for .the

gear having a mounting in the'plate; a segment mounted on said frame and operatively connected with the gear; means supported on the plate for moving the segment; and means for :detachablyconnecting Athe plateto the frame, the gear, gear support and segment moving means being removable, as a unit, with the plate. i

112. The combination of a supporting structure; a gear; a segment mounted to oscillate on said supporting 'structure and having teeth engaging said gear; a crank on one side of the segment; a connecting rod on the opposite side of'said segment; means `operatively connecting the crank and rod; and means operatively connecting therod to the segment.

13. The combination of a supporting structure; a gear; a segment mounted to oscillatev on said supporting structure and having teeth/ engaging said gear; a crank on'one side ofthe segment; a connecting rod on the opposite side of saidsegment; means for pivotally c'onnectingfthe crank and rod;

and means pivotally connecting the rod to the segment, both ofsaid means being immediately adjacent the plane of movement of said segment. In' testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specication, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.-

' ELMER U. AMES. v Witnesses AUGUs'rUs B. Gorras,

Jos. I-I. KLEm. 

